UHD TV's - Worth Getting one?

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#995078 26-Feb-2014 20:52

The Sony TV's for example they show in stores are actually playing from a dedicated box (not publicly available) to play 4K content so they look good.

The only way to play 4K Content on them is via a computer . There is no HDMI v2.0 video cards so you are stuck with HDMI 1.4 for playing video (30fps) (but that good enough for Videos). The TV does HDMI v2.0 but there are no HDMI v2.0 players (yet).

4K Media players are coming out very soon (HDMI v1.4 ). HDMI v2.0 maybe in 6 months.

Content.. errr.. lots of youtube stuff and about 2 hand fulls of publicly available 4K video content longer than 10 mins.

from the rumours about the Xbox/PS4 these can do 4K but maybe in the future they will be enabled for 4K Video output only (but not for games)

I would wait until there are some HDMI v2.0 Media Players/More content and then decide on the 4K TV you want.

Saying all this the quality of my Sony TV is a lot better than previous TV's I had. The upscaling from 1080 -> Native 4K is brilliant.

Dunnersfella

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#995143 26-Feb-2014 22:30

The promise of more pixels isn't what interests me, the increased range of colour is!
Oh and in regards to buying based on practicality...
I normally drive a 1.6L 2-door to work every day. But recently I drove a 6.2 V8 for a few weeks.
Same distance, took the same amount of time, but used a lot more petrol.
From a practical point of view, the 1.6L two door has it all, but the V8 is the one I'd pick...

mattwnz

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#995144 26-Feb-2014 22:31

If you are using it for a computer screen, you could potentially stop using mulitple monitors and just use a single one, then yes they could be a good buy. But for TV use, not yet.

timbosan

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#995396 27-Feb-2014 11:42

Buzz Bumble:
gregmcc:
As far as I know there are no UHD transmissions so no benefit there, don't know about blueray if it supports UHD??

Nope, there's currently absolutely zero 4K content, unless you're making your own or watching the demos. The Blu-ray standard for 4K content is still being drafted and will likely use quad-layer discs and require brand new players.

As the image posted above says, buying a 4K TV now is a complete waste of money. You're best to wait until there's actual content) if ever) and the prices should be lower by then too. 4K TVs are simply the TV manufacturers adding yet another gimmick to try and get people to buy a new TV that they don't really need.

Sorry, not quite right. Sony USA sell a device (the 4K Ultra Media Player) that comes preloaded with 4K movies and you can download new ones over the net from them too. At the moment it only works on specific Sony 4K sets and projectors, and I haven't seen anyone try it overseas (but it should work).

Also don't forget a lot of content is already being filmed in 4K, even Netflix have stated they filmed House of Cards Season 02 in 4K and you can what it this year on a 4K set.

LennonNZ

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#995404 27-Feb-2014 11:50

timbosan:

Sorry, not quite right. Sony USA sell a device (the 4K Ultra Media Player) that comes preloaded with 4K movies and you can download new ones over the net from them too. At the moment it only works on specific Sony 4K sets and projectors, and I haven't seen anyone try it overseas (but it should work).

Also don't forget a lot of content is already being filmed in 4K, even Netflix have stated they filmed House of Cards Season 02 in 4K and you can what it this year on a 4K set.

Well......

The FMP-X1 needs a HDCP 2.2 compatible TV which at the moment the Sony 4K TV's are (but only USA ones).. I have asked and it is unknown if the non USA ones have HDCP 2.2 as well and $600+ is a little expensive to find out they are not. They geo locked so you'll have to run the FMP-X1 via a VPN (not a problem).

Yes hour of cards is filmed in 4K but netflix (at the moment) isn't offering to the public the ability to view in 4K.

Youtube.. you can view in 4K but you'll need a 30M+ connection at the moment to view it without bad buffering.. (I don't believe they are using VP9 yet bnd found no info about it)

Asmodeus

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#995423 27-Feb-2014 12:10

Def agree to wait unless you make a lot of your own content in UHD. That said there is *some* content available on youtube and vimeo and other sites. Netflix have announced that they will start streaming 4k in the near future (HEVC H.265 @ 15.6Mbps) for selected titles and the Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA) has announced it will release 4K Blu-ray discs at some point soon too. Personally I'd wait (a year maybe?) until there is more content and cheaper sets

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LennonNZ

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#995426 27-Feb-2014 12:15

There is the http://www.nuvola4k.com which is coming out (very soon).. I preordered 4? months ago and hopefully in the next month I will see it.

Buzz Bumble

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#995476 27-Feb-2014 13:13

Asmodeus: Personally I'd wait (a year maybe?) until there is more content and cheaper sets

Of course by then they'll be announcing new 8K TV sets ... with added "Smell-o-vision" technology and a 360degree "Surround-View" curved screen (where the viewer has to sit in the middle), but again no real content to watch in such formats ;-)

Or you could wait "a couple of" years for Holographic TV instead. :-)

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#995481 27-Feb-2014 13:25

I need a 200" 16k tv :D

ilovemusic

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#995571 27-Feb-2014 15:46

Tzoi: The problem with that is that you need HDMI 2.0 ports on both your computer and the tv otherwise the signal will be at 30fps which isn't good enough for gaming

that's a bingo.

at the moment the only uhd tv for sale with hdmi2.0 is the panasonic th-l65wt600z

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#995580 27-Feb-2014 15:59

ilovemusic:
Tzoi: The problem with that is that you need HDMI 2.0 ports on both your computer and the tv otherwise the signal will be at 30fps which isn't good enough for gaming

that's a bingo.

at the moment the only uhd tv for sale with hdmi2.0 is the panasonic th-l65wt600z

The 65" and the 55" Sony TV's do as well..

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ilovemusic

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#995772 27-Feb-2014 20:30

which model/s ?

native or firmware update ?

overseas some got a fw update, some need new hardware.

LennonNZ

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#995795 27-Feb-2014 20:52

ilovemusic: which model/s ?

native or firmware update ?

overseas some got a fw update, some need new hardware.

In the states when the Sony 4K (55" and 65") TV's came out they only did HDMI 1.4b and HDCP 2.0. So people could use the FMP-X1 these older ones needed a hardware swap out (to enable HDCP 2.2) to allow for the better DRM (as the older HDCP keys had been exposed to the public a few years ago).

Newer Sony 4K (55" and 65") had this HDCP 2.2 already installed so no hardware upgrade was needed for the FMP-X1.

At the end of last year there was a software upgrade which upgraded all Sony 4K (55"+65") TV's to upgrade the HDMI 1.4 -> 2.0 and this is quite different than the HDCP 2.2 upgrade/feature.

Sony was one of the playing factors in HDMI 2.0 (as far as I know) so they made the hardware on the TV have the ability to upgrade them via software.

Some of the other 4K displays (different manufacturer) had HDMI 1.4 only and you to have a (paid) hardware upgrade (replaceable board) to upgrade them to HDMI 2.0.

I believe the Sony TV's are still the only devices which can do HDCP 2.2 so far.

HDMI 2.0 is great (when _something_ comes out which supports it)

Masterpiece

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#995838 27-Feb-2014 21:30

Also consider that the specification is not complete yet.

Currently the displays, 2160p (4k for everyone) are still running Rec709 spec at 24hz or 25/50, but the intent is to be rec2020 which has a gamut well beyond current display capability. Also higher hz rates of up to 60hz native at 4:4:4 bit depth.

HDMI, technically is currently v2.0, but you will find that the numbering is to be dropped so you will only see HDMI in the future. There may be issues with this when and if the previous specs get ratified, some are still under discussion. The pipe might still be too small, it took 4*HDMI1.4 ports to pass the full design Rec2020 spec.

What this means is current displays, even the 2160p(4k) types will not display rec2020. A key factor is displays may need 12bit processing or even 16bit, many are 8bit and 10bit(many pc monitors are 6bit).

However, most content will take a while to transition, as DVD/HD~ PAL to Rec709, and remembering for a long time there was 720p displays and projectors and some 1080p projectors way before HD material and 1080p finally came in force.

I personally will wait to stuff matures a bit, but for some the resolution increase alone has some benefits. The photographic world I imagine has been hanging out for more resolution.

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ilovemusic

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#996149 28-Feb-2014 10:20

thanks for the hdmi update guys.

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